Sony Bravia 9 II and 7 II: The debut of True RGB, with the Theater Trio audio system
At the Ultimate Home Entertainment Showcase 2026 in London, Sony showcased its first generation of LED-backlit televisions with independently controlled red, green, and blue lights: Bravia 9 Mark II and Bravia 7 Mark II, which will be available for pre-order on May 27, 2026.
Along with the televisions comes a new flagship audio system, the Bravia Theater Trio, and a function (Direct Connect) designed for those who do not want or cannot mount a soundbar. However, the presentation began with a vocabulary issue.
A Matter of Names
An LCD television is a "sandwich" of three layers: a backlight source, a layer of liquid crystals that acts as a shutter and is driven pixel by pixel, and a color filter that assigns the appropriate hue (red, green, or blue) to each sub-pixel. In traditional mini-LEDs, the backlight consists of thousands of diodes that emit white or nearly white light, typically obtained from blue diodes passing through a yellow phosphor layer, and it is the color filter in front that subtracts from that mixed light everything that is not needed for a given sub-pixel.
The RGB LED backlighting reverses the logic: the backlight consists of individually controlled red, green, and blue diodes, producing light directly in the required color. Therefore, the color filter in front has to work less because it receives already purified light upstream. From here come the two main theoretical advantages: a wider color gamut, because the spectral peaks of individual LEDs are narrower and more saturated than filtered white light, and greater luminous efficiency, because the LCD panel does not need to block large amounts of unwanted light output.
It is important to distinguish chromatic control from local dimming, which concerns brightness modulation by areas of the screen and which traditional mini LEDs have been offering for years. The leap of RGB LED backlighting is another: the ability to control the emission of each color independently within the same zone.
To place the technology concerning other market standards: OLED is self-emissive, every pixel generates its own light, there is no separate backlight and the discussion does not apply; QLED is technologically an LCD with LED backlight to which a layer of quantum dot is added to enhance spectral purity, but the light source still starts from white or blue diodes and the sandwich architecture remains the same. The RGB LED backlight sits in between, on an LCD without quantum dots but with a light source that already generates the primary colors at its core.
And this raises what Sony refers to as the "vocabulary problem" mentioned earlier: the technical definition exists, but there is no agreement on the commercial name. The US Consumer Technology Association has defined "RGB LED" as the technical name for the class of backlighting where the red, green, and blue diodes are controlled separately. In recent months, the marketing departments of competitors have declined the term in various forms: micro RGB, mini RGB, RGB mini. According to Neil King, marketing and product planning manager for Sony Europe Home Entertainment, the fragmentation creates confusion, and the category also includes implementations that have very little of RGB: the CTA allows calling "RGB" even solutions with only two diodes, blue and green, where red is obtained by passing the light through a phosphor.
It is for these reasons that Sony chooses to call its implementation "True RGB", which aims to be a statement of intent articulated in three dimensions: true RGB (independent control of the diodes), true color (color accuracy), and true vision (maintaining off-axis performance).
Twenty Years of RGB
The first Sony television with RGB LED backlighting is the Qualia 005 from 2004, presented as the "world's first" in the category. In 2008, the XR1 arrived, the first model to integrate RGB LEDs and local dimming, although the dimming only acted on the overall white light and not on individual color channels.
Between 2008 and 2022, the technology remained in the lab: Hideki Akiyama, senior engineer at Sony and head of hardware control development, backlight driver firmware, and power supplies for all the company’s display products, showed images of the first prototype of the new Bravia 9 II, built during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a "Frankenstein" with over a hundred FFC (flat flexible cable) wires to bring signal and power to the LED modules, essentially a conceptual and operational prototype to verify the feasibility of the project: the second version, shown alongside in the slide, is visibly more "refined".
Akiyama stated that the debut was also evaluated for the 2024 season, ahead of competitors who later announced the first RGB LEDs. The withdrawal was motivated by quality level: "Our goal is not to be fast, it is to be true. We do not want to launch a product just to be first."
Why LED Size Doesn't Matter (According to Sony)
During his presentation on stage, Akiyama wanted to dismantle a marketing argument that the competition often relies on: the size of the LED. Samsung markets its solution as "Micro RGB", implying that the transition from mini LED to micro LED represents a qualitative leap. Akiyama showed a direct comparison: Samsung's LED is indeed slightly smaller, but the pitch between LEDs, the distance from center to center between two adjacent elements (about 1 mm), is practically identical to the implementation that Sony has operated on the new television range.
Since the size of individual LEDs is measured in micrometers while spacing is measured in millimeters, Sony argues that the determining factor for backlight performance is the LED density per unit area and the control algorithm, not the size of the individual emitter. In other words: those who call something "micro" that has the same density as a "mini" are just selling a label.
Color Volume and Luminance: The (Not) Specified Numbers
With the new TrueRGB technology, Sony claims measurable results on color volume compared to its own high-end products, specifically doubling it compared to the Bravia 9, the current top mini LED, and a staggering four times that of the Bravia 8 II, the current top OLED, which Neil King called "the king of TVs". Sony claims to have achieved this result thanks to the independent control of individual RGB diodes. When a diode is not needed for the image being displayed, the energy that would have been allocated to it is redistributed to the other diodes, allowing for higher peaks of luminance and extending the gamut. Regarding accuracy, Sony asserts the absence of scaling: what the panel needs to show and what the backlight produces are directly aligned, without intermediate interpolations, following the model of reference monitors for mastering.
On the left a Mini-LED TV, on the right the new TrueRGB from Sony: the chromatic control is much finer
One of the key mechanisms of the system is the continuous monitoring of each single LED, as the characteristics of the emitter vary according to the applied voltage, current, temperature, structure, and aging. When characteristics change, the emitted color also changes. The feedback algorithm adjusts PWM and current to maintain consistent color reproduction.
Compensation also comes into play regarding chromatic cross-talk, the phenomenon where a large green area in the background can "contaminate" the rendition of skin tones in close-ups, skewing them towards a greenish hue. Akiyama showed a graph measuring skin tone shifts as the dominant background color varies: where an unidentified competitor shows significant deviations, the Bravia 9 II remains close to zero. It is clearly a non-independent comparison ("Oste, how's the wine?"), but Akiyama wanted to emphasize this achievement as the result of long-term work: the engineers who developed the Qualia 005 and the XR1 are still part of the team.
However, here lies the elephant in the room of the entire presentation and the official announcement: Sony chose not to declare specific peak luminous data, dimming zones, and color volume. It’s a stance that lends itself to various interpretations: avoiding participating in the "who can shout the loudest" game that several competitors engage in, or the desire to keep the cards close to the chest to avoid a numbers battle?
Energy Efficiency, Viewing Angle, Scalability
On the consumption front, Sony claims a performance advantage compared to major competitors. The logic is as follows: by emitting colored light directly, the LCD panel needs to block less light output, thus requiring less power for the backlight at equal perceived luminance. The claimed numbers, measured as luminous efficiency (luminance/absorbed power), indicate a reduction from 25% to 60% in consumption at equal brightness, depending on the competitor considered.
Measurements were made after removing the backlight from competing televisions and placing it behind an identical LCD panel, isolating the behavior of the backlighting system alone.
One of the historical limits of LCD panels with mini LED backlighting is the loss of saturation when the observer moves away from the perpendicular axis to the screen. The color generated through the LCD layer "fades" as the viewing angle increases. In the new True RGB models, Sony combines X-Wide Angle Pro technology with the fact that some of the chromatic component is already generated by the backlight itself: the declared result is more stable color reproduction off-axis.
Unlike OLED, which, as Neil King notes, stops at diagonals around 80-85 inches, the RGB LED is scalable upwards and Sony will offer a model at 115 inches. At the lower end, the technology will start from 50 inches, a sign that Sony intends to bring True RGB into more accessible price ranges and not only in flagship models.
Bravia 9 Mark II: The Range Reference
The Bravia 9 Mark II is the flagship of the new generation of True RGB televisions. The explicit reference is the Sony BVM-HX310, the professional monitor used in film production and broadcasting: the goal is to replicate on a consumer television the creator's intent as approved on the reference monitor. The available diagonals will be four: 115", 85", 75", and 65".
The flagship features the most aggressive version of the True RGB architecture. The new generation LED controllers allow for the highest level of precision in driving RGB diodes and, consequently, greater blooming control. The RGB Triluminos Max + Luminance Booster Pro package pushes color gamut and brightness to the highest possible levels, utilizing that very precision of control by redistributing energy not required by inactive diodes in the currently displayed image to the active ones. It’s the same logic that the technology section described abstractly, now detailed in the highest level package.
On the side of real living room performance, the Bravia 9 Mark II adopts the Immersive Black Screen Pro treatment, a new glare-free and low-reflection finish developed in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment for surface evaluation. It reduces reflections and glare while maintaining deep blacks and detail in dark scenes even in very bright environments. The treatment is present on the 65", 75", and 85" models but absent on the 115": the choice reflects a usage hypothesis, namely that the largest diagonal will be placed in setups close to professional home cinema with controlled lighting, where additional anti-reflective treatment loses relevance.
Bravia 9 Mark II Audio: Beam Tweeter, Voice Zoom 3, 3D Surround Upscaling
On the integrated audio front, the Bravia 9 Mark II adopts the Acoustic Multi-Audio+ sound-from-screen technology, aiming to align the source of the sound with the action on the screen. The system relies on full-range speakers integrated into the television body, the exact configuration of which varies by diagonal to ensure a solid sound base. Up to the 85-inch version (excluding the 115-inch diagonal), the television also features directional up-firing tweeters (beam tweeters), designed to expand the sound stage by utilizing ceiling reflection to deliver a more pronounced surround effect from the television alone.
The Voice Zoom 3 technology, based on AI processing, enhances voices while maintaining the level of other sounds, a behavior that will benefit action movie playback where dialogues are covered by explosions, where Voice Zoom 3 raises the dialogue without also increasing the background noise. Completing the sound processing package is 3D Surround Upscaling, which expands the stereo signal into a wider three-dimensional sound field.
Bravia 7 Mark II: True RGB in a Broader Range
The Bravia 7 Mark II brings True RGB technology to a much broader range of sizes: six diagonals, from 50" to 98", versus four for the flagship. The philosophy is to bring True RGB into a more accessible price range while maintaining the same basic architecture (the red, green, and blue LEDs controlled independently, with the same compensation and sensing logic described in the technological section), but foregoing some refinements of the 9 II.
Regarding the backlight, the 7 II does not feature the new generation LED controllers of the 9 II nor the RGB Triluminos Max + Luminance Booster Pro package. The image quality remains declared as top-level, but the peak brightness is lower and the energy redistribution algorithm between diodes operates with less control granularity. On the screen, the Immersive Black Screen Pro treatment is absent: the control of reflections in very bright environments remains entrusted to less aggressive solutions.
In terms of integrated audio, the up-firing beam tweeters found in the 9 II that create Dolby Atmos height channels via ceiling reflection are missing. Everything else is shared with the flagship. On image, X-Wide Angle Pro ensures color stability off-axis. On audio, Acoustic Multi-Audio+ provides the sound-from-screen (absent on the 50" and 55" models due to space constraints), Voice Zoom 3 AI-powered for dialogue clarity, 3D Surround Upscaling for expanding the stereo field, and Direct Connect for integrating subwoofers and rear speakers without a soundbar. On content, the complete package of cinematic standards (Dolby Vision for HDR video, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for object-based surround, IMAX Enhanced as integrated certification) and automatic calibration modes such as My Cinema, Ambient Optimization, and Studio Calibrated modes for streaming platforms.
Frame, Stand, Remote
On the frame, the Bravia 9 Mark II adopts a premium metal wave pattern, while the Bravia 7 Mark II has the same pattern made of plastic. Both televisions adopt a transparent stand that integrates an optical element capable of bending and deflecting light waves through refraction. The result is that objects placed behind the stand, typically power and signal cables, become visually hidden, giving the television a floating effect.
From the live demo, the effect proved effective especially for vertically oriented objects. The transparent stand is not available on the maximum-cut models of each range (115" for the 9 II and 98" for the 7 II), which adopt a traditional stand. On the back of the television, the layout of the speakers has been redesigned, aligned along an area designed to match the sound source with the action displayed on the screen.
The remote control is new for both models: backlit, made of approximately 80% recycled plastic, and with USB-C recharge.
Supported Standards: From HDR Video to Certification
The Bravia 9 Mark II and Bravia 7 Mark II share support for all major cinematic standards, in three separate families. For video, Dolby Vision is present, the HDR standard with dynamic metadata that instructs the television scene by scene on how to distribute luminance and color gamut. On a high-luminance True RGB panel, it is the functionality that best enhances the underlying hardware and is one of the points where the Sony lineup differs from televisions that limit themselves to static HDR standards.
On the audio side, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are supported, the two surround formats based on sound objects. Dolby Atmos is the most widespread in the consumer market, DTS:X is common on disc content and some streaming platforms. Bridging video and audio is the IMAX Enhanced certification, which combines requirements on both sides (color gamut, contrast ratio, dedicated DTS:X audio) to ensure the playback of IMAX-certified content in conditions as close as possible to the original cinema.
Direct Connect: Subwoofers and Speakers Without Soundbars
Sony introduces the previously mentioned Direct Connect, a function designed for small living rooms or limited budgets. It allows you to connect a wireless subwoofer or a pair of wireless rear speakers directly to the television, without going through a soundbar: it is useful for those who want to reinforce the bass or achieve a minimum surround effect without creating a complete system. The feature will be present at launch on the Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II; Sony indicated at the event the intention to extend it via firmware update to the 2025 models.
Bravia Theater Trio: Audio for Large Formats
The main audio product presented is the Bravia Theater Trio, a three-speaker (left, center, right) system designed for ultra-large format televisions, where a traditional one-meter soundbar can no longer sustain the width of the sound scene. To the basic scheme, you can add rear speakers and up to two subwoofers.
The development rests on collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), the division encompassing film production, TV, post-production, and sound design for the Sony group. The work revolved around analyzing production studios and listening environments used in cinema, aiming to transfer the cinematic sound experience into customers' homes using 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology.
Andrew DeCristofaro, supervising sound editor at Sony Pictures Post-Production, nominated for the 87th Academy Award for the sound of Unbroken, with over 150 titles to his credit (including Green Book, Iron Man 3, Borat, Dumb and Dumber, The Last Dance, The Housemaid, and the Venom saga), explained the rationale of the product.
The Physics of Sound Mixing
DeCristofaro demonstrated how a single sound event is built. For a scene from Venom 3 where Tom Hardy passes in front of a small background fire, not a dramatic event but an environmental detail, about twelve sound layers were overlapped: the base fire, a metallic layer to give a sense of the heat working the material, layers for the motion of the flames, layers for weight and size. A whole scene from Venom arrives at the mixing stage with over 800 tracks.
The question that sound engineers ask themselves, DeCristofaro said, is twofold: how to translate that level of detail into a real living room, and how to preserve the intent of the original mix when the film exits the calibrated room and arrives in acoustically unpredictable spaces. The point of focus on the Bravia Theater Trio was clarity of dialogue, tonal balance, spatial accuracy, crossover between speakers, and maintenance of original dynamics.
DeCristofaro also showcased an example of dialogue cleaning on a scene from The Housemaid, highlighting how the removal of background noise can change the emotional perception of a conversation. However, this is work done upstream, in post-production, and not replicable in consumer products.
360 Spatial Sound Mapping and Acoustic Architecture
The technology Sony brings to the Theater Trio is 360 Spatial Sound Mapping: the system analyzes the acoustics of the room and reconstructs a three-dimensional sound field mapped around the listener, above and behind them. The declared goal is to recreate the spatial scale of the original cinematic mix without requiring the installation of speakers in all the canonical positions of a traditional surround system.
The central speaker of the Trio integrates a central tweeter, two woofers, and lateral bass ports. The left and right speakers adopt a similar design (one woofer, one tweeter, and bass port), complemented by a second slightly angled up-firing woofer on top, dedicated to ceiling reflection for Atmos height channels.
The system is completely wireless between the three units and is equipped with functions that facilitate installation in real rooms. The rear speakers, when present, can be mounted at different heights: the difference is compensated via software by the system. The Sound Field Optimization function adapts the acoustic output to the characteristics of the room, and a USB-C microphone is included in the package to capture sound from different angles, improving calibration accuracy. The Trio is dual subwoofer ready, meaning it allows pairing up to two subwoofers to reinforce bass, and supports Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and IMAX Enhanced.
At the top of the audio range is the Trio Plus SR, which combines the Bravia Theater Trio, a pair of Rear 9 rear speakers, and a Sub 9 subwoofer into one package. For even more extensive configurations, at the fair Sony demonstrated the system paired with two Sub 9 subwoofers in a 5.1.4 configuration.
The 2026 TV and Audio Lineup
Sony’s overall offer for 2026 is articulated as follows:
- True RGB: Bravia 9 Mark II and Bravia 7 Mark II
- OLED: Bravia 8 Mark II (new generation QD-OLED) and Bravia 8 (continuation of lineup)
- Mid-range Mini LED: Bravia 5
- Entry-level: Bravia 3 Mark II and Bravia 2 Mark II, announced at the beginning of the year.
Besides the Trio, the Bravia Theater range includes the soundbars Bar 8, Bar 7, and Bar 5, announced at the beginning of the year. Bar 7 is also available in the Bar 7 Plus S bundle, which includes the subwoofer.
The Bravia 9 Mark II, Bravia 7 Mark II, and Bravia Theater Trio will be available for pre-order starting today, May 27, 2026, at Sony and other authorized retailers. Sony did not release any pricing indications during the event or in the official press release.